Opium box with a secret compartment in the bottom which is decorated with naughty engravings. The material from which it is made is called ‘Paktong’, ‘Baitong’ or ‘Nickel Silver’. Paktong (白銅) literally means ‘White copper’ and was used to imitate sterling silver. In fact it contains about 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc and no silver at all unless it is silver-plated. It was first known in China during the Qing period (1644 – 1912) before it became fashionable in the West. The opium box is decorated on the front with a sweet scene of a pretty lady and there’s a poem on the back. The top has an engraved inscription which reads ‘ru ri zhi sheng’ (如日之升) which means ‘May you be successful in getting official promotions continuously’. The opium box dates from the Qing period. Height 5.2 cm. Width 4.6 cm. Depth 2.2 cm.